Apparatus for condensing flue-dust



I (NoModeL) v H. W. HIXON.

APPARATUS FOR GONDENSING F'LUB DUST;

Patented Mar. 29,1892.

- llVVE/VTOR:

WITNESSES MW ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HIRAM WV. HIXON, OF EL PASO, TEXAS.

APPARATUS FOR CONDENSING FLUE-DUST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 471,860, dated March 29, 1892. Application filed July 3, 1889. Renewed February 4, 1892. Serial No. 420,256. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, HIRAM W. HIXON, of El Paso, in the county of El Paso and State of Texas, have invented a new and Improved Means for Condensing Flue-Dust in Lead- Smelting Furnaces, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved means for condensing and saving the flue-dust passing with. the waste gases through the chimney of lead-smelting furnaces.

The invention consists of an apparatus of special construction, hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures Figure 1 isaside elevation of the apparatus with parts in section. Fig. 2 is a transverse section of the same, and Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation of part of the apparatus.

The apparatus A is provided with a pipe B, connected at one end with the upper end of the flue or chimney'of a lead-smelting furnace and through which pass the escaping gases carrying the flue-dust. The other end of the pipe B opens into a vessel 0, set on top of a tank D, filled partly with water and provided on-top with an air-tight cover E, which. forms the bottom of the vessel 0. The level of the water in the tank D is a suitable distance below the cover E, as is plainly shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In the cover E are secured a series of downwardly-extending pipes F, opening at their upper ends into the vessel 0 and carrying at their lower ends nozzles G, extending into the Water contained in the tank D. A pipe H leads from the tank D above the water-level and connects with a suction-fan I of any approved construction and operated from a suitable steam-engine J, both being located outside of the tank D. The exhaust-steam of the engineJ passes into the exhaust-pipe K, which leads into the pipe B and discharges the exhaust-steam into the vessel 0. From the lower end of the tank D leads a pipe N, connected with a circulatingpump L of any approved construction, the discharge pipe 0 of which extends upward and into the pipe B, as is plainly shown in Fig. 1. From the discharge-pipe 0 leads a series of perforated pipes P, extending through the vessel (land supported on suitable brackets held in the said vessel.

v The operation is as follows: When the suction-fan I is set in motion, the air above the water-level in the tank is exhausted, so that a partial vacuum is produced, whereby the gases in the chimney of the lead-smelting furnace are drawn into the pipe B, from the latter into the vessel 0, and from said vessel through the pipes F into and through the water contained in the tank D, part of the gases finally rising above the water-level, to be drawn off through the pipe H by the action of the suction-fan I. The flue-dust carried by the waste gases into the chimney of theleadsmelting furnace thus passes through the water contained in the tank D, so that said fluedust is condensed and separated from the gases and finally settles on the bottom of the tank D, the remaining gases being drawn out through the suction-fan I, as previously described. In order to aid the condensation of the flue-dust, the circulating-pump L, when set in motion, sprays water by means of the perforated pipes P into the vessel 0, so that the flue-dust in the gases in the said vessel 0 is partly condensed and passes onto the cover E and through the pipes F to the nozzles G and into the water to settle in the tank D. The condensation of the flue-dust is further aided by the exhaust-steam passing through the pipe Kinto the vessel 0 in a manner similar to that in which the spray of water passes through the pipes P and acts on the Waste gases.

Thus it will be seen that by this very simple device the flue-dust of lead-smelting furnaces is saved, it being understood that the .fluedust carries a considerable quantity of silver and lead which would otherwise be lost.

It is further to be understood that the fluedust condensed in the vessel 0 is readily washed into the settlingtank D by the water and steam from the pipes P and K.

Having thus described my invent-ion, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the water-tank D, having an exhaust-pipe above its water-line, of the closed vessel C, adapted to be'connect'ed Ice with the flue of a lead-smelting furnace and having a series of depending pipesin its bottom extending into the said tank below its water-line, and a steam-pipe discharging into said vessel 0, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus forcondensing flue-dust,

' the combination, with a closed vessel adapted to be connected with the fine of the leadsmelting furnace, of pipes held in the bottom of the said vessel, a tank containing water into which extend the lower ends of the said pipes, an exhaust-fan connected with the said tank above the Water-level, a circulatingpump connected with the Water in the said tank, and perforated pipes held in the said closed vessel and connected with the said circulating-pump, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an apparatus for condensing flue-dust, the combination, with aclosed vessel adapted to be connected with the flue of the leadsmelting furnace, of pipes held in the bottom of the said vessel, a tank containing water into which extend the lower ends of the said pipes, an exhaust-fan connected with the said tank above the water-level, a circulatingpump connected with the water in the said tank, perforated pipes held in the said closed vessel and connected with the said circulating-pump, and a steam-pipe discharging into the said closed vessel, substantially as shown and described.

HIRAM WV. I-IIXON. WVitnesses:

JOHN McCoNNELL, TH. J. RYDER. 

